Presidential praise
Presidential award winners are (L-R): Rebecca Nixon, Michelle Arandes, Earlanda Williams, Lisa Cleveland, Sarah Lindauer, Juan Reyna, Mary Yanes (for Special Events Council), Michaell Huber, Carol L. Kopplin, Diane Solomon, Elizabeth Kay Eskew, Autumn D. Clegg, Donald M. Dougherty, Scott B. Johnson, Anand B. Karnad, Michael Beckstead, Cynthia Blanco, Kristine Vogel and William P. Clarke. (Kristin Fiebelkorn not pictured)
Health Science Center faculty and staff members who work hard to further the university’s missions of research, education, clinical care and service were recognized at the 2014 Presidential Awards ceremony in February.
This year’s highest Presidential Award, the Distinguished Scholar Award, was presented to Donald M. Dougherty, Ph.D., the William and Marguerite Wurzbach Distinguished Professor and deputy chair for research in the Department of Psychiatry, and professor in the Department of Pharmacology.
Dr. Dougherty’s translational research focuses on the various biological risk factors involved in drug abuse, drug dependence and suicide. Since joining the Health Science Center in 2007, Dr. Dougherty has accumulated nearly $20 million in funding, with the majority coming from the National Institutes of Health. He is principal investigator of five R-01 grants.
Award winners include:
Distinguished Scholar Award
• Donald M. Dougherty, Ph.D., Psychiatry and Pharmacology
Junior Research Scholar Award
• Michael Beckstead, Ph.D., Physiology
Teaching Excellence Awards
• Michelle Arandes, M.D., Pediatrics
• William P. Clarke, Ph.D., Pharmacology
• Lisa Cleveland, Ph.D., RN, PNP-BC, Family and Community Health Systems
• Kristin Fiebelkorn, M.D., Pathology
• Michaell Huber, D.D.S., Comprehensive Dentistry
• Diane Solomon, M.D., Neurology
• Kristine Vogel, Ph.D., Cellular and Structural Biology
• Earlanda Williams, Ph.D., Cellular and Structural Biology
Clinical Excellence Awards
• Cynthia Blanco, M.D., Pediatrics
• Autumn D. Clegg, M.S.O.T., OTR, Occupational Therapy
• Scott B. Johnson, M.D., FACS, FCCP, Cardiothoracic Surgery
• Anand B. Karnad, M.D., Hematology and Oncology
Employee Excellence in Service Awards
• Elizabeth Kay Eskew, Microbiology and Immunology
• Carol L. Kopplin, Legal Affairs
• Sarah Lindauer, Cellular and Structural Biology
• Rebecca Nixon, School of Dentistry’s Office of Continuing Dental Education
• Juan Reyna, RN, M.B.A., Regional Academic Health Center-Harlingen
President’s Choice Award
• Special Events Council
